I used to do more than one intense set when I was weightlifting awhile ago...but since I've started back I have been doing one warm up and one set with all I can do eight times. For fat loss should I be doing more than one set? Since I read that 8 reps in a set is more for "strength" than "power", would the power option be a better option for losing fat? If I do decided to do the power option, is one set still satisfactory?

One last thing...I know it is a lot of questions. Is it ok to do two exercises for a muscle group with the one set rule? For instance, doing one set of squats, and then one set of lunges for legs. Or, Bench/dips for chest, row/pullup for back? Or should I just do only one exercise as well? Anyone who can respond to all of my questions...Thanks!

I think it all depends on your goals, experience and body type. I would argue, for me, until I am blue in the face that you should do at least 2 exercises 3 sets each per muscle. I then change the exercises. I think TimD is and HIIT and push/pull believer. I've tried both and they don't seem to work for me. BTW, I would take his advice over mine any day of the week. For example, I actually do six exercises (three-four sets each) for my chest - all in one day. I change weight and reps, do pyramids, drop sets, etc. for my variables. My core chest workout is flat, decline, and incline bench and flat, decline, and incline flies. I'll do cable flies and the pec-deck instead of flies, at times.

For fat loss, if you are not doing cardio separately, I think the main thing is to keep your heart rate. Minimize your rest b/t sets. If you do a full body workout, then one set might be enough.

For power and maximum muscle gain (my beliefs), I think you should hammer a muscle group and then let them rest. I only do the above chest work once a week. I rest three minutes between sets. I do cardio at least 4 hours from my workouts.

As to power (lower reps) no, you should not do this to lose fat. You should be trying to put on muscle to help burn the fat, this would entail doing 8 or MORE repetitions, not fewer, in each set. 1 set is fine as long as you move between exercises to gain some cardiovascular/fat burning effects.

Generally, it is the total reps done that matters, therefore if you are doing 2 sets of 10=20 reps and now want to do sets of 5, you should do 4 sets so you still get 20 total reps. The total number is somewhat of an indicator of training age. A beginner can grow (the muscle is more easily stimulated) with fewer total reps. An advanced trainee will need more reps regardless of whether they are training for power/strength/hypertrophy.

To properly gain power, you must teach the muscle to perform with power. This usually means taking longer rest breaks and doing lower reps so that every rep can be done with maximum velocity and application of force.

Hi. Look, there are no hard , fast, rules here, but for fat loss, the optimal approach with weights would be to stil stay somewhat moderately heavy, but keep rest periods short. Sets, well, that really depends. For instance, I would suggest circuits for fat loss, first, strength, second. Say you pick out a full body circuit consisting of 8 exercises. You go from one to the other prety quickly. One circuit might be enought, but two would expand the work time. Now, lets say you pick three movements only, say one for lower body (squat or deadlift), dip (upper body push), and chin (upper body pull), then to maximize working time , calories burned, metabolic rate, then maybe do them in a circuit about 5 times. On the other time, if not worried about fat loss, but going for strength and size, the same circuit, with lots of weight piled on, may be fine for one to two working sets after a lighter warmup or two, with lots of rest taken in between exercises and sets. It all dependes on what your end goals are, and there are no hard fat rules, just general guidelines.
Tim

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